Pollination requirements of apricot: ten years of research in Piedmont (Italy)

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is usually autocompatible, while lately some autoincompatible cultivars have spread because of their quality excellence. The introduction of new cultivars needs therefore the evaluation, besides of agronomic and productive requirements, of also the necessity of insect pollination so to adopt adequate planting and control strategies compatible with the accomplishment of the pollination service Observation and test were carried out on 22 newly established cultivars in three localities of the Cuneo district (north-western Italy): CReSO Experimental Stations of Cuneo (2000-2004) and Manta (from 2008 onwards) and the fruit-growing farm Quaranta of Costigliole di Saluzzo in 2005. In any case there was plenty of plants supplying compatible pollen and beehives were placed close to the experimental orchards in order to grant an adequate insect pollination. During the blooming period observations were made on the presence of wild pollinators, that were however rather scanty. For each cultivar and each year 3-5 trees were selected. On each tree 2 fruit-bearing branches of similar size were chosen; one of them was isolated with a net mesh sufficient to prevent the passage of pollinating insects, without hampering sensibly wind action, while the other one was left free. For each branch flowers, set fruits and ripe fruits were counted; the latter were also weighed. The cultivars that produced no or very few fruits on the caged branches are autoincompatible and require therefore the presence of pollinating cultivars, combined with the beneficial action of the honey bee.